Lessons Learned

And we just got started. I can tell you that if you never go cruising, this boat can be built much cheaper. You don’t need an anchor, windless, or anchor chain. You don’t need sails and mast, fuel or fuel tanks, or a polishing system, flopper stoppers, navigation equipment, communication equipment, dinghy, gen-set, watermaker, prop, or even an engine. As a matter of fact you can use the engine room for a cabin for your teenage stepson or my preference, a bar, complete with pool table and outside entrance for ladies. Don’t worry about the cost of the outside entrance, with the money you save you can get a Diesel Duck 964 and have money left over.
Ruth and I took Dora Mac for her first real outing leaving Subic Bay on Thursday, November 8th and returning on the 17th. We were very fortunate to have made friends with the fellow across the dock from us, Nick Spence. Nick is retired now and lives primarily on his sailboat, Stargazer, with his companion Zaida. Nick has been a mariner all his life and was involved in the three year design and build of a 166’ yacht by the name of Double Haven. He went on to captain the boat for thirteen years and circumnavigate three times. There is little Nick does not know about this business of cruising and luckily he has been willing to share it with Ruth and me.
I had been quizzing Nick ever since I met him and it was he who suggested we go cruising among some of the Philippine Islands and take him and Zaida along. It was like Roy Rogers riding into my living room when I was eight years old and suggesting that he and I go horseback riding. Nick is a captain’s captain, he even has a captain’s Pavarotti voice that he can bring out at any time he thinks necessary. One thing for sure he knows boats and boating, he even knows wind, waves, and currents and more importantly how to predict them.
So off we four go with all the enthusiasm that kissing the good dock goodbye can offer, at least for Ruth and me. I think that Nick genuinely likes these Diesel Ducks. They’re a solid ship he says, and the rugged exterior gives little hint as to the quality, appearance, and comfort of the interior. He did share some observations with me about some changes he would have made that made perfect sense. Some of these were just little annoyances like the water dripping in after a rain when you open the hatches while others were more serious and modifications will have to be made.
Our first stop was a little secluded almost uninhabited place called Himilo Cove just south of Manila Bay, about 50 miles and eight hours from Subic. Next was Puerto Galera for a few days before heading dead east to Marinduque. We had planned to spend a day just for a rest before heading south to Romblon but the wind got up and we spent an extra day there. The third day the wind was still howling and there was little protection heading south so we decided to head back to PG.
I lost my breakfast for the first time since we took delivery. Nick, always politically correct, said he was impressed I knew to throw up on the down wind side. I added that I also took into consideration the proximity to the water hose. It was very uncomfortable to say the least.
We discovered all the things that weren’t tied down but should have been. We had substantial seas coming from our starboard quarter. We did have our paravane polls out and I saw the port side one dip into the water on one severe roll.
We had put the flopper stopper fish into the water and they put on quite a show, sometimes upside down gliding along on top of the water like a dead mackerel and at other times sailing in and out of the water like a flying fish. These were of my design and now my junk so I will have to hunt down a set of professionally designed ones like everybody else uses.
We were so concerned that they would take a flying leap into the boat that Nick immediately turned the boat into the wind and he and I wrestled them aboard. While we were into the wind Nick suggested we put up the mainsail for stabilization and my breakfast departed soon after. It was comforting when Nick later told me not to be too concerned about the seasickness, that I would learn a way to deal with it. Maybe leaving the scotch off the dinner menu the night before might help. Oh the sacrifices one makes for the pleasure of cruising.
There were a few minor medical issues on our cruise. Nick, who had broken a small bone in his right foot on a recent trip home, reinjured it as we were preparing to go. He had to be very careful where he stepped and the flybridge ladder was a challenge. Ruth forgot there was a step up on the port side deck and broke her toe. She taped it to the adjacent toe and all was well. Zaida didn’t know that the chest freezer lid weighed a ton and let it come down on her fingers. Fortunately Ruth had a finger splint in the medical chest. And of course not wanting to be left out of the sympathy game, I got seasick.
Now to the boat and lessons learned. George Buehler is right about the horsepower it takes to drive these boats along. On our island cruise we ran the engine 45.7 hours and as best I can tell, used less than 100 gallons of fuel even with occasionally running the gen-set. We have a FloScan and at 1500 RPM and 6.7 knots it showed a constant burn of 2 gallons per hour. I understand that diesel fuel produces about 20 horsepower per gallon per hour so that’s 40 HP cruising speed.
Engine room ventilation: The engine room has two fans with the biggest one having the capability of running in either direction, putting air into or taking it out of the ER. I have an IR heat sensor and I’ve pointed it at everything in the ER numerous times. It doesn’t seem to matter how I configure the fan arrangement the ER ceiling only varies between 118 F and 120 F. Even leaving the big fan off had little effect. On one passage I forgot to turn either one on for two hours and the ceiling only got up to 122 F.
The surprise for me was when you get to an anchorage and turn the engine off, the heat is still there and there is a lot in there to hold the heat. The boat gets so warm that you have to start the gen-set and aircons to cool things down if you intend to get any sleep. The two fans pull a substantial amount of current and it takes so long to cool the ER down that we left them running all night. Of course the second night none of this was a factor and we slept with the gen-set and aircons off.
Another lesson learned is that while at anchor or a mooring the wind only blows one way, on the bow. It may change direction numerous times but so does the boat so the aft cabin gets no air unless it can be funneled into it someway. One way is to open the salon and front cabin hatches so the air flows through the boat and out the aft cabin hatch and port holes but this in no way matches having air flow directly into and out of the cabin like when you’re tied to a dock. When it rains, as it tends to do often in the tropics, the hatches have to be closed. Of course a solution for this is to put up a rain fly over the hatches and this can also serve to funnel air into them.
We have a 60 something pound anchor which is the size recommended for this boat but it’s not big enough. I should have listened to Don McIntyre who is putting what looks like a chrome elephants head on his bow. I think it’s at least twice as big as ours.
During the last night at Himilo Cove, on our way back to Subic, the anchor dragged. In 36 feet of water we had 225 feet of chain out and the anchor still let us move. The wind was calm when we went to sleep but picked up in the wee hours after midnight. Nick had set the radar with indicating rings touching the nearby beaches so you could see if the boat moved. It did and all four of us had to get up and move the boat. It started to rain as we went out on deck and I can tell you that it was no fun at all. We reset it in 66 feet with all the chain out we had, 300 feet. We still moved but we were so far from the beach daylight came before we had to re-anchor. At the first opportunity I’ll try to trade my anchor in for a bigger one.
The boat has a Navman Wind 3100 instrument at the lower helm and Nick has suggested I put a repeater beside our bed. You can set a wind speed alarm that will wake you up. This would be very handy at anchor and you wouldn’t feel the need to wake up every few minutes and stick your head out to see what the weather was doing.
The chain piles up in the chain locker and someone has to move it as the last 50 feet of chain is being brought aboard. I may be able to re-design the delivery chute or build a pyramid on the locker floor that will eliminate this problem.
I learned that the anchor and quite often the chain get really muddy. This would be no problem to wash off if you could take a city water connection with you, but when you’re anchored out, you’re limited to the water you have on board which was probably produced in a stream about the size of a pencil by a $6,000 watermaker run by a $10,000 gen-set burning $2.50 per gallon diesel. I need and will get a saltwater high pressure, high volume wash down pump with a long wand for the anchor and chain.
The windless can be run from the flybridge, the helm, or by foot buttons on the deck by the windless. The problem is that the person running the windless needs to be the same person that’s washing off the chain. A hand held remote instead of the foot controls might be a better solution or the foot buttons need to be positioned in a different place.
I’m having trouble with the Balmar 70 amp 24 volt alternator. Bill says it should be fine but though I’ve adjusted the regulator for only 60% of it’s amperage capacity and tightened the belts it still got over 300 F on our last passage. Though it is rated at 70 amps, the most I ever saw going in through the battery monitor was 38; when I adjusted it back to 60% the most I have seen is 24. This is with the boat underway and navigation and communication systems running and drawing current. There may be a problem I don’t know about but it sure can’t survive at these temperatures and there may be damage done already. I’m afraid it is undersized for my house battery bank, 24v and 600 amps, and I will have to replace it. I have read that the alternator output should represent 25% of the batteries amp capacity. That would be 150 amps.
The helm chair SHM furnishes is comfortable and even has a seat belt which I understand is mandatory if you exceed 55 MPH. The problem though is that it swivels, and swivels, and continues to swivel. When you’re in sea conditions you have to hold on to the adjacent handrail to keep from going around. When the seat is empty it just turns and turns. I like to imagine there is a long dead pirate’s ghost sitting and spinning with a bottle of rum and asking what are all of those gadgets for mate.
I think I have a solution which would involve drilling two holes through the top aluminum plate of the pedestal and tapping them and screwing bolts up into the bottom plate of the seat where additional holes would have to be drilled. The problem with this is it is difficult to convert back to swivel again and I got a feeling I would leave it in the straight ahead position. If anyone has a better solution let me know.
While we were moored out at Puerto Galera we didn’t put the dinghy in the water but the YC has a service boat which will come and take you anywhere you want to go. We must have departed and returned to the boat 20 or 30 times in the four days we stayed there and sometimes it was after dark when we returned. Nick suggested that I put the stern light on a separate switch from the rest of the navigation lights and use it for illumination. I turned on the navigation lights after dark one night and he was right, the light illuminates the whole swim platform.
My thoughts on the flybridge: I wanted a flybridge because David Katz, owner of the DD 44 that inspired this boat, had a simple helm on top of his pilothouse and said it was a lifesaver when docking and working your way through and around reefs. Also I saw myself setting up there at dock having drinks and looking down on everyone else, remember, I was raised in the mountains of SW Virginia. The fact is it’s the best place to sit and run the boat. On this trip we ran the boat up there the whole time and I have a feeling that I will continue to do so unless weather prevents it. I have a chart plotter, engine controls and gauges, and a remote autopilot there but now I wish I had duplicated all the instruments or at least put some stereo speakers and drink holders up there.
In summery I would like to say that it’s not often when something is too much, (cold beer) too big, (anchor) too capable, (me) or too patient, (Ruth) on a cruising boat. If it is, just use it for bragging at the local bar, (engine room). You can say things like “I have a 26’ skiff with a 30 KW gen-set and I can recharge my start battery in 3.6 seconds”. Speaking of beer, we have bought so much diet drinks, Gatorade, and Sam Miguel, that I’m sure the local distributor would be happy to put us on the regular delivery route, the boat certainly has enough storage compartments.
The gen-set, 9 KW is sized very well. It will run the two aircons, the watermaker, and the battery charger all at once without breaking a sweat. The aft cabin aircon at 12,000 Btu does a great job but the salon unit at 16,000 could have been bigger only because I had a duct run from it to the pilothouse, it cools the salon very well if the pilothouse vent is shut off and vice versa.
I could have used the 800 gallons per day watermaker instead of the 600. At 600 GPD and under ideal conditions it should produce 25 gallons per hour. What I didn’t know was that as the temperature of the seawater rises above 77 F the efficiency drops dramatically. At tropical sea temperatures it only produces about 20 GPH and that is brand new; as it ages the efficiency drops even more. At tropical air temperatures you need more water for showers, drinking, and washing clothes. Also remember that you only make water underway or at anchor and for both the gen-set has to be running, so you want to produce as much as needed in as short a time as possible.
I chose to upgrade to the E series Raymarine chart plotter from the standard C series, 120 for the lower helm and 80 for the upper. As I begin to understand some of its functions and benefits I really like it but I’m still not sure of its advantages over the C series. I think I chose it because of its video and photo overlay capabilities which I will probably never use. Nick showed me stuff on it I may never have figured out from just reading the very thick operator’s manual.
The equipment SHM chose for the boat all seems to be top notch, Cruise Air aircons, the John Deere engine, Northern Lights gen-set, Gulf Coast fuel polishing, Jabsco Pumps, Rule bilge and sump pumps, ICOM VHF and HF radios, Nova Cool freezer and refrigerator, Tecma toilets, Muir windless, Raymarine radar and other instruments, Splendide washer and dryer, and especially the Victron Inverter. The 24 v, 3000 va, 70 amp inverter, the Phoenix multi battery control, and the VE.NET battery monitor all exceed my expectations.
This is my our boat and it is our home, vehicle, and who we are. It has replaced the life we had before and I will continue to add, subtract and redesign systems that will make our lives more comfortable.
As I said once on the PUP list: There will always be bigger boats, older whiskey, and younger women but I can little afford them or handle them very well, especially while docking.
I was going to say the boat had almost replaced our sex life but Ruth doesn’t like me to talk about things like that.

Randal Johnson

Group,

Thank you for the valuable information.

We added the pressure wash on the bow, they are a big time saver, not to mention the reduction in cursing.

My wife early on made hot and cold water shower on the stern cockpit a design requirement. One of the "non-debate" items! (I've long since lost interest in cold showers.)

I usually have to edit my posts three or four times to catch the spelling errors. The only excuse I have is that I'm a bad speller.


Hugh

Hey I forgot to mention in my bad spelling message below..it was 1am in the morning! that every boat needs a salt water wash! to wash the chain and all the salt build up ...then you use the fresh water wash to simply "rinse " the boat...My bow hose outlet is salt water wash.....I have a short hose for chain washing.....back in the cockpit I have an automatic retracting hose which will reach the whole boat and is connected to both fresh and salt water ...so I just throw a valve in the cocpit ...and when I am finished it will all just ZIP away...no coiling hoses! or putting in lockers....wonderfull...once you have used a Auot-retracting hose you will wonder why you never did before....sort of like wasting your life tying shoe laces? but I do sometimes!

I also have a hot/cold shower on the marina deck...a bit of a luxury but nice and I saved a guys life with one of these once...found him drifting after 3 days in the water unable to get back into his swamped canoe...nearly dead and Hypothermic...so showered him on the aft deck for awhile with warm water before we could lift him further to stop his blood running to his extremities....I don't have a shampoo rack though??

Gee Randal...you have some fun...I can just see you smiling when you are writing this...this is your adventure and you have a great attitude so I look forward to all the updates.

I forget what hight your engine out blower is sucking from...ie how far down from the top of the engine room and where is it pointed at....your temp could be because of still air at the top?? look at the air flow....our was monted 40 cm from the top...I moved it to the top?

Don't trade in your anchor...keep it and just get a bigger one...we have 110lb CQR on the roller...60 delta bolted to the Bulwalk at the bow ready to set...a 75lb fisherman/admiratly under the saloon sole....an FX 37 fortress and the second biggest fortress both in the aft locker??

1/2 chain will not fit if you want any length...we have 400ft of 3/8 High test chain every link stamped..imported from America...with certified shackles/swivels...I will not hang ICE on a $1.50 Gall shackle from??

We scrapped the split anchor locker....but unfortunately SHM poured the concrete in the bow before I could stop them so I have a shallow DROP too...so if it will not fall I will dig it out latter ( it's airated concreat so should not be too hard)...I fitted the 6inch SS inspection port beside the winch to push chain with a stick and it is now a SHM standard but they still fit the split locker and with that you can't reach the chain??

Owners of the 462 should think long and hard about NOT ordering the Flybridge?? it is the best thing on our boat!full stop!

If you have ever sat for long in a helm seat at sea you will get a GOOD HELP SEAT for sure...nothing drives me crazy like a wobbly squeeky non-secure helm seat and the 462 is a five star boat ....you can sit on any seat but if you are going to sea you need a "HELM SEAT!" if you can afford it get a Stidd...you will never regret it ...but you must then fit a watch alarm...to stop you nodding off!

As for the Fish there is one design that will fly...and work well...all the Nordhavns use it ...it is described in detail in cruising underpower...as is the whole flopper rig....if your fish has no rudder it will not track...you need the center of ballance then lift from slightly forward of that...hole no three of the standard 6 hole design is the start position....steel is the best material to build fish....if you try to lift them yourself you will damage the side of your boat not to mention your back...you have to set up a system that removes the skipper from the equation...Nordhavn do it very succesfully...without touching the side of the boat...or lifting anything manually...we will use our Targa and use the sheet winches to recover the permanent retrevial line and lift the fish clear of the back of the boat and stow them on the aft marina deck. I will also carry a spare fish.

A barding light for the marina deck is a great idea...stern nav light is OK but if it is in the right position so you can actually see it legally when carrying a dingy ...it may be too high...our is way up...and a big bright light is great for fishing etc?

Your 140 amp altinater will be just fine- the 70 amp was crazy...My engine came with the same but I took it off knowing 20% of battery capacity is an average minimum and ours are 600amp DIN or 740amp in laymans terms...get the matching Balmar reg and temp sensors...our batteries are rated at 3500 X 50% cycles over 15/20 years (upgraded 2v cells from standard) so you will be set but you should make sure they build a mechanicle tensioning device for the belts as you will pull heaps of HP. I carry a complete spare 140 amp alt and regulator ready to fit.

I have a dedicated temp guage from Cruise Pro with three sensors with high / low settable alarms...I have one on the 140 amp Balmar...one on the std engine alt. and one on the engine room deckhead...I can always monitor all three and alarms will tell me if anything is getting too hot and I get an actual temp reading at the helm station so I can log it at engine logging intervals to monitor unusual changes.

For other forum members...think 24v watermakers...then you will not have to run the gen to make water...I was the survivor/Katydan agent in Australia for 15 years...they are great...we have the 160....spectra are good now too....if you need more water than that???

We have one saltwater manual toilet and one electric Fresh water toilet, but if I am making water I will NOT be flushing it down the DUNNY! and if we are short on power I will not be flushing the power down the dunny...so we have a foot pump also for the fresh water and Salt water at the sink....then I can turn the pressure pump off to save water ...or at least get it out of the tank if we have no power.

The fun part about boats is that we all have different ideas...and we all have fun...just spent 6 weeks at SHM finishing off ICE which is looking real flash....motoring trials in the river were great...our aft head is very "cool" with "chinese" penguins painted on the glass doors....have to go south for summer in a few days but will return in Feb to fit our masts...them sail out in late March to Hong Kong...promise to put heaps of pics up then with lots of reports...hopefully as much fun as Randals....sorry about the spelling...

Margie and I are both very happy...ICE is looking great!

Good point about the cable size and this needs to be reviewed with Randal's alternator upgrade. I have specified 4/0 cable in my system

My house bank also has a temperature sensor connected to the Balmer regulator

I am not quite brave enough to pound the AGM's at 100% and in any case can deliver 270A best case, into a 600A @ 24V bank. Granted this is still a substantial number, and is designed to get max charge rate with min genset running time while doing other voltage intensive chores.

Robert,

You are correct, I was quoting lead acid ratings. If my memory serves me Calder reccomends that AGMs can take up to 40% of the 20 hour rating, some places state 75% at peak, others lower. It also depends on the individual AGM battery from what I have been told. Concord says you can use an unlimited rate of recharge, greater than 4x for bulk (though people that I know that cruise with them would strongly debate that), and most other manufacturers don't make that type of claim. Undersizing an alternator that is not temperature controlled can cause it to overheat. The temperature sensor that you suggested is a good idea, especially with AGM batteries.

What size cable is going from the alternator to the battery?

I attached a link on calculating voltage drop. I would choose adverse conditions due to the higher temperatures. Select different wire gauge size to see what percentage drop there is. It should be less than 5% for the charging system. I would overestimate the length of wire requred by a couple feet at least. With 100amp spec it is reccomending 6gauge wire, 8 is nominal. This could be part of the problem on Randal's boat as well. Too small a wire will reduce the amperage to the batteries and maintain a high alternator output voltage. It is worth checking into, especially if the alternator size is being increased.

Voltage Drop Calculator


Hugh

quote:

Originally posted by Robert Straghan:
It is my understanding that AGM batteries will accept an incredible 100% charging rate, hence my 2 x 140A alternators and 270A of Victron inverter/charger + charger capacity.

25% is for wet lead acid batteries.

It is my understanding that AGM batteries will accept an incredible 100% charging rate, hence my 2 x 140A alternators and 270A of Victron inverter/charger + charger capacity.

25% is for wet lead acid batteries.

Hi Randal,
Not sure...but think John and I met you at the Solomon's Trawlerfest. Are you in Seattle? I think John was sitting next to you at the final dinner...at the Seahorse Marine table with Jimmy Cornell. If so, we'd love to talk with you. (We lost your contact info.) Please e-mail me...PauletteCLee@verizon.net!

Randal,

Have you confirmed the RPM that the alternator is running at when you took your amperage readings? It is possible that the pulley ratios are not correct and so you are running the alternator too slowly for your standard cruise rpm on the deere.

Overheating will reduce the efficiency but at start-up you should still see higher amperage. AGM battery banks will only take 25% charge rate of total capacity for a very short period of time and they will need to be 50% discharged, or more, to do so. If you are 60% or higher the bank just won't take that high of a charge rate. The battery banks life also will be a lot shorter if it sits above ambient. The rule of thumb is that for every 15 degrees above 77f battery life cuts in 1/2. As the batteries age the available capacity drops and the alternator charging rate (amps) will also drop. I wouldn't think your battery bank will have aged this quickly but you never know.

One thing to do is when the bank is drawn down to 50% and the engine room is cool start the engine and test the amperage with the regulator set to maximum (and reading that it is at the bulk charge rate). Make sure you know the rpm ratio to engine rpm and compare to Balmars chart.

You may benefit from a larger alternator, as it will run cooler, but it sounds like something else may be going on as well.

When you set the anchor do you back down in reverse under full throttle and put your foot on the chain or watch it to detect any vibration that would indicate dragging? If there is vibration at all you need to reset. If it holds rock steady under full reverse load you really shouldn't drag using the CQR that you have, without a change in wind direction (though CQRs do handle wind direction change well). Please forget I mentioned this if it is obvious or you have done it for years. I figure better to mention it than to assume it is your practice!

Hugh

Can't wait for the head report
Smelly heads and electrical issues have been the bane of my other boats and I was hoping that the fresh water toilets would have solved this problem.

With the bigger alternator, you may wish to consider running the watermaker off the inverter when the Deere is operating. Given a single (and hot) inverter you will need to do some load management but gets by the problem of only making water when runing the genset.
I have 2 inverters so not a big deal, but all the same it draws 8A @ 220V or 1760W and will tax your inverter if hot or running other loads.

Make sure you order an alternator temp sensor for the Balmer so that the regulator can control alternator temp.
Do you have a single 140A alternator? If so then the J-180 mount will fit the Deere bracket I have on my main. This is a Deere part number and my engine was ordered specially with it, along with the Leece Neville alternator. I do not see how to attach the drawing here so send my your email and I will fwd the Deere drawings

Hugh
The freezer lid has one gas shock which is adequate until the lid gets nearly shut and then it's heavy. Usually one good shutting on the fingers prevents any future problems or better yet, warn your guest, especially short ones. The other option would be to have SHM install a lighter material on the lid. To date they have corian but famica might be a better solution.
I listed most of the issues above but I am getting ready to address my thoughts on head odors in another post.

John

I had wooden flopper stopper fish and asked Bill for steel ones but the yard was out of steel ones so I asked him to replace the wood with steel. This apparently changed the dynamics greatly. Bill has suggested I try another hole for the chain hookup but I realize now that the added weight of the steel over wood probably doomed their proformance.

Robert

I'm so inspired by # 6 and your boat # 7 that I'm actually jealous.
I just ordered a 97 series Balmar that doubles the amps of the one I have now to 140 amps at 24 volt. I also ordered a rebuild kit for it too. I will have to have my custom bracket redesigned here but fortunately there is an excellent machine shop nearby.
Hiring Arild to help with your electrical layout was a very good thing to do.
You can try the non-devided locker but it seems the problem of the chain jamming comes from the lack of depth rather than footprint. This will be exagerated with a 1/2" chain. It simply piles straight up like a Christmas tree and when it reaches the top there is no more chain weight pulling the chain down and it jams up at the gypsy. Aggrevating when you consider all the things that have to be delt with during anchor retrival. Add some wind and surrounding boats to that and you're really got a problem.
I'm working on a throughhull right above the chain chute that will allow me to physically knock the pile down with a SS rod. The SS guy is supposed to be by here today.
Many things we see in design are just individual comforts. That's the reason we are all not driving Chevys. What might be a big issue to you or me might not bother someone else at all. This DD is a great platform to explore those ideas and I don't mind sharing what I've learned and what I've done that works for me and what doesn't. I hope the rest of you will do the same.

Randal

Randal - thanks for taking the time to give us this feedback. I have been thinking of these problems as well and my thoughts are as follows:

Given that you have an E-series you can run Raymarine PC software, install a wireless network, and place your laptop (or Ruth's nice wide screen one!) next to your bed. It then can display split screen mode, wind and radar. A side benefit is that the PC can run in parallel with the E Series so for example at the helm, you can have chart on one, and radar on the other.
This is my intended mode, and the aft cabin idea is a bonous.

I plan to carry a small pressure washer for anchor chain washdown and general cleanup duty.

ER vent remains a concern, and I have located the 2 x 3 Kw inverters and 100A charger outside the ER.
I still would like to see a better input fan arrangement and will discuss once again when at the yard.

Did you see my alternator set up? There are 2 large frame 140A Leece Neville alternators which allows derating for high temp operation. Use a large frame alternator, and if you have to go with a single alternator, take a look at the big red Electrodyne units.
I am also thinking of rigging a blower fan in front of the Deere for alternator cooling

I have specified a 50 Kg main anchor and 1/2 chain. Given your comments on the chain locker, I am now thinking of going with a single non-divided locker and rigging the secondary anchor rode as needed.

Freezer lid and swiveling helm chair are great comments and will need addressed next yard visit.


Robert

Randal,
You should be ashamed, posting of your fun in the Philliphines when I'm still working! Seriously, congratulations on the clean break, we're following, just taking longer to get there.
What inspired your fish design? Was the SHM product not to your liking? Let us know how things go!
Fair winds & following seas,
John

Randal,


Sounds like you are jumping in with both feet! I do remember the freezer lid being rather heavy. Do you have gas shocks on it? If they aren't strong enough it is pretty easy to upgrade them to a higher boost level.

What are the major changes you see doing? It is helpful to all of us following the boards to know what issues people face and how they are dealing with them so the more detail the better!


Thanks and keep enjoying.


Hugh